I have decided switch my focus & restart previous blog: Soft Side of IT.
As much as I love this topic, in general & google there are less interest in this topic than information technology. So I am going take a hiatus from this blog.

Also I have been working in IT all these years & I’m currently in a large implementation project. I want to document some lessons learned & usage of technologies.

This is a careering move as well, as I see this blog somehow go down in google ranking every week, my old blog remain in the first page. I just want to make sure people will be able to see my post, when anyone google me.

I still know in my heart that teaching and leading are intertwined & the importance of improving teaching skills. That’s why I know eventually I will come back to this blog.

It’s been a week since I set those habits & honestly that’s not been happening. =(

From my experience, if something doesn’t work, it might not be the idea, but the implementation/approach or part of it doesn’t work. Rather than on giving up, I am going try, try, try again … in order to find a way that will work for me.

Here is my re-adjustment 1.1:
I know doing this at least 1 hour per day will work somehow, but I am going to re-adjust the habit.
Rather jumping between the blog & studying, I am going to take at least 1 hour per day to either work on blog related task or studying my PMP. (Project Management Professional)

I will also keep a task list to complete, like read through & determine task to applying for PMP.

Exercising 2 times a week for 90 minutes, to some people, this seems just impossible …

Just like new year resolution, I fail to keep on task. After setting goal in my last post, I can honestly say I do almost nothing to move forward any of this.

What if you take a 5 minute bike ride everyday?
That is not overwhelming anymore!

This gave an inspiring moment from listening to an old podcast while working out. It talked about setting daily habit & the exercising example on this post. (Unfortunately, I could’t find the anymore anymore)

A small daily habit just makes goals more do-able!

This is surprised me; Kids do homework everyday to learn better … while somewhere along the way … we have lost the concept of daily habits. This idea seem so simple, but so powerful.

Setting daily habit is much more different than monthly or even weekly habits. Even with weekly or bi-daily goals, I find myself reasoning excuses to do it the next day; While daily just forces you to do what needs to be done.

These two habits to my challenge to myself that I will do:
– I am going take 1/2 hour everyday to work on some part of the blog (such as making notes)
– At least 1/2 hour per day to working PMP or GMAT

Can you imagine setting a small daily habit on something you always wanted to do or learn? Let test drive this idea.

Happy 2010!

How’s everyone’s first week?
Do you have resolution or goals for 2010?

Both resolutions & goals seems similar, but I just found it’s better to defining goals.
After trying resolution for a few year getting no where; Last year was just health & a blog; both were accomplish.

This year I am going to attempt more than last year. After my last 2 post with a year in review & my next decade goals, I have developed goals for 2010.

By writing it down, I am committing to reach these goals:

Certified as a PMP: Always been a goal

Take the GMAT: For my MBA goal

Go to SXSW: Ever since I heard Malcolm Gladwell’s talk at SXSW, I always wanted to go.

Honestly, this was a simple year with simple goal to focus on health, keeping up with the blog.

This is my look back on my accomplishment:
– Health (Nutrition & Exercising)
– Regularly Blog
– Lead in a team
– Taking over role/responsibilities
– Experiencing large project with management of constant changes
– Finally completing the PM continue education Certificate
– Taking my first real vacation in my years of working (for the sake of relaxing) =)

Lessons learned:We have a choice in our decision
It’s not what you think, we have have unconscious choice during life such as: deciding to listen, pay attention, taking action …

Teaching/Mentoring well can make all the difference
I found using my teaching skill, I was able to help coworker on learning a new system in 1-2 days & keep on seeing productivity improving. Then I compare with people (me included) whom had to learn by themselves & the impact in productivity & confidence.

If you don’t ask … you don’t get
During november, my boss stated there will be no vacations for the first half of 2010 due to the big push for the project go-live (unless it was already approved); at least that was everyone’s interpretations. Although I really wanted a week for SXSW in March … so I asked … and I got approved. Sometimes our assumption/interpretation can be just wrong, that’s why we need to ask.

The difference commitments can make
Going to the gym regular can be tricky … and sometimes down right hard; Not Committing vs Committing to health makes a real difference.

Teaching gains respect, especially when you leading them in the future
After training the people I lead in my area, I found more respect & commitment to the task I requested to accomplish from people that are younger & older than me.

My biggest surprise was the power of teaching & mentoring. I always enjoy it & I do it to help others to waste less time on things than I did. The surprise came when I saw benefits on the teacher side in the business world. I was also surprised at there is such a un-relatedness between teaching & training. (after going in so many training sessions)

This exercise was fun! This post is definitely one that I’m going to revisit.

I am definitely recommending people doing a year-in-review for themselves, it quite refreshing!

In 10 days, we will be entering a new decade; It felt like a blink since the new millennium began & here we are 10 years later. To be honest, personally I thought nothing much happened … then I took a look at how the world changed.

In the last decade, we have seen:

the first black US President in the White house

how the world unite to help the Tsunami in one end of the world

the empower of public voice through multiple web innovation

every other business model being changed through the web (Newspaper, advertising, book publishing, globalization of business)

the improvement in standard of living in many countries through globalization

power of 1 individual bringing Apple back to life & became the most respected company

no more film for cameras

the ability to reconnect with people I met 10, 20 years ago through facebook

…

Wow! That’s pretty impressive for the world within a decade.

Now when I look back at my last 10 years, it was interesting but I was hoping for more 10 years ago back in my college days. While writing this, it really feels time is running much much faster then I am. (I know, I know, it’s not what you did, but it’s about what you going to do)

To take my first to achieve more in the next decade, here I will declare my 10 year look-forward:
– Being in a leadership role in a business organization
– Travel to a few countries in Europe and asia, plus at least 1 place per year
– Experience a full-time MBA program
– Mentor at least 3 person & being mentored by 3 persons
– Own a house/apartment with my own family